DIVISION 1 SWIM FINALS: Reedy, Jongekrijg dive in to celebrate first state titles

Clarkston, Lake Orion post all-time best state-meet finishes

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

YPSILANTI — Lauren Reedy claims that she will not be alternating the music in her I-Pod anytime. There will be no loud or celebratory music pumping through her personal airwaves — even though she’s a state champion.

Reedy is going to stick with her style.

“I still love my country,” offered Reedy. “That’s never going to change. I’m not going to have anything too loud in there.”

There will be no party anthems. No loud celebration tunes.

There might not be any Queen’s “We Are The Champions.” Instead, it might be Blake Shelton or Taylor Swift or a little Brad Paisley instead.

As best in the state, Reedy has more than earned the right to play something mellow to fit her liking.

Reedy won the diving state championship at Saturday’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 state championships at Eastern Michigan University. She collected 458 points in the 11-dive competition to become Rochester High’s first female diving state champion.

“It is an incredible feeling,” said Reedy. “All of the hard work I put in over the years finally paid off.”

Reedy, who signed with Missouri, was 36^th at state as a sophomore and seventh last season. She was in third place until the final few dives, where she passed the field for good.

TOP FLIGHT: Rochester'sLauren Reedy capped an unbeaten season by winning the Division 1 diving state crown. Courtesy Photo | Al Evans, Exact Photography

“This was my goal all along, so to reach that goal as a senior is a (great accomplishment),” offered Reedy. “Ever since last year, I wanted to go out (with a win). I had some good scores the last couple of dives (to pull ahead).”

Reedy wasn’t the only local competitor bathing in some state glory Saturday.

Lake Orion’s Annie Jongekrijg had a fine state meet as a senior, placing in four events, including a win in the 100 freestyle with a 50.32 clocking.

BLUE RIBBON FINISH: Lake Orion's Annie Jongekrijg placed in four events at Saturday's MHSAA Division 1 state finals, including winning the 100 freestyle. File Photo

“I don’t think it’s set in just yet,” offered Jongekrijg, who signed last week with Ohio State. “It feels great. It’s nice to get a record and the state title at the same time. We also had a very good day as a team. Our relays had their best times of the year. That made it even better. We had our best day as a team.”

Farmington Hills Mercy, which moved up to Division 1 after three straight state titles in Division 2, collected 258 points to edge defending champion Saline, which scored 243.5 points, for the team title. Birmingham Marian (165), Hudsonville (156) and Ann Arbor Huron (153) rounded out the top five.

Clarkston led area schools by finishing 10th with 103 points. Lake Orion was 12^th with 68 points, as the two OAA Red Division schools posted their all-time best finishes to lead schools from the www.northoaklandsports.com coverage area.

Rochester finished 23^rd with 20 points, while Rochester Stoney Creek was 25^th (15) and Troy 27^th (13) to round out area schools in a field where 37 schools scored points.

Clarkston’s 200 medley relay was ninth to start the day for the Wolves, which had multiple medals to crack the tip 10 for the first time. Kathryn Culver, Sami Stelpflug, Natalie Vela, Megan Stelpflug combined for a 1:50.09 effort in the medley relay.

Sami Stelpflug came back to finish in the runner-up spot in the 200 IM (2:04.22) and placed third in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.71). Culver was ninth in the 100 free (52.69). and Megan Stelpflug was second in the 500 free (5:01.02).

Culver, Amber Hallmann and both Stelpflug sisters finished sixth in the 400 free relay (3:32.18) for the Wolves.

Lake Orion’s Courtney McClear finished 16^th in the 200 IM (2:11.74) and Jongekrijg was second in the 50 free (52.17), which placed in five events including Jongekrijg’s aforementioned individual win.

Jongekrijg, McClear, Danielle Kudla and Bethany Abramczyk combined to finish 11^th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:38.72), while the same unit was ninth in the 400 free relay (3:33.18) for the Dragons.

Stoney Creek’s Hannah Knapp 14^th in the 50 free (24.51) and 11^th in the 100 free (53.20) to pace the Cougars. Knapp, Carson Burt, Ariel Niederhauser and Rachel Watton combined to place 14^th in the 200 free relay (1:40.48).

Troy claimed 12^th in the 200 medley relay (1:51.25) with the unit Jacqueline Burke, Kristine Barlow, Tessa Lanzen and Lauren Dietz. Barlow was also 14^th in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.17) for the Colts. Troy scored points at the state finals for the first time since 2008.

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Tags: Annie Jongekrijg, featured, girls swimming, Girls Swimming & Diving, High School Girls Swimming & Diving, Lauren Reedy, MHSAA Division 1 Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals, Prep Girls Swimming & Diving, swimming

Category: Clarkston, High School, High School (M-Z), Lake Orion, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens